Well, as the first chapter was really short, I posted this one soon. A little more of run-through-the-game than what I usually write, but not too much I hope. Thank you very much Aditu for your review - the first one here! hurray! Please keep reviewing everyone:)
Chapter II. The Dark Exile
They found their way down the labyrinth. Shurvi took the front, and Liria covered for him with arrows and, occasionally, spells. As they descended the halls of the cathedral now turned into a dungeon, they found some equipment on the monsters that was worth keeping, and their skill increased. Shurvi was getting stronger and tougher; Liria's aim increased, as her mastery over magic. They learned to know each other's fighting style, and to trust each other with their lives.
They slept at Ogden's inn in adjacent rooms, and spent the little time they were not in the dungeon together, eating at the inn's table, or sitting by the river bank, or training together. It was a surprise to both how they just blended in together, becoming as one in their quest down the labyrinth. She avenged her disappeared parents, no doubt having suffered a gruesome fate of which she would never know of, with each demon she slew, or helped Shurvi to slay.
He fought with a less personal intent, just sharing her hatred of the demonkin without the need for any personal tragedy behind it. He had been raised a farmer by a modest family of a neighbour town, and he had entered military training with king Leoric's guard at the age of ten. He told Liria his love for the king, how sad it was to see him grow mad, and was the very reason he had chosen to go away and work as a mercenary for caravans and such. He had decided to come back when he had heard of Lachdanan placating Leoric; those were grave news, and he had felt his loyalty to his king demanded his return.
Liria told him of her raising here as a child, even showing him the ruins of her home one day, about a week after their meeting. She had pointed, looking the other way, turning her face away from him. He had seen the brilliant tears in her eyes, tears she quickly fought back, and he rested his hand on her shoulder for a minute. Then, they went back to training, and to fight demons within the dungeons of the cathedral.
They found and killed the Butcher, avenging the townspeople deaths. Shurvi jammed the Butcher into the doorway, while Liria freed a firewall under the demon's feet, and he stayed into the flames to burn to death just for the sadistic pleasure of sticking his cleaver through Shurvi's body. Shurvi had survived the battle, but had needed a few potions and a day of rest to recover. It was at the very beginning of their fight together, and it helped to cement their friendship that Liria stayed with him most of the day, taking care of him and sharing their past to distract him as time passed.
They were told of the poisoned wells and of king Leoric's curse. Shurvi's face grew grim as he heard the news of his beloved king cursed to undeath, and both warriors began their descent to the third level below the cathedral. They found Leoric's lair and freed him from his curse, a combination of sword swings, arrows and lightning laying his skeleton to rest. Shurvi swore to find his son, and Liria swore to help in the quest. They found the great underwater well, tainted by demons, and cleansed it of any evil that lurked within its corners.
Then, lower, they found a strange book. It was obviously ancient, although perfectly preserved, and written in craft and style that were strange and alien. The sheets of paper were thin and smooth, even feeling a little waxed, and the ink was so deep black that it would have been expected to show through, but it did not. Both warriors stopped before the book, Shurvi for once finding nothing to be brash about, and opened it.
"And so it came to be that there was a great revolution within the Burning Hells known as the Dark Exile. The lesser evils overthrew the Three Prime Evils and banished their spirit forms to the mortal realms. The demons Belial (the Lord of Lies) and Azmodan (the Lord of Sin) fought to claim rulership of Hell during the absence of the three brothers. All of Hell polarized between the factions of Belial and Azmodan, while the forces of the High Heaven continuously battered upon the very gates of Hell," it read.
Both were a little puzzled; Liria read it twice, memorizing it, and said they would talk to Cain about it, as soon as they were done retrieving Ogden's sign.
Cain had not much to say about the text, which was a little odd, as he always seemed to have an answer for everything. After their visit to Cain, their bath in their private rooms and their meal together, they were not thinking about it anymore.